According to the well known principles of fluid dynamics, as an aircraft flies through the air, a boundary layer of turbulent air develops about all exterior surfaces of the aircraft. In order to properly deploy an ordnance from underneath the aircraft, the ordnance must be pushed through this boundary layer before being fully released from control. If the ordnance is not pushed through the boundary layer, the turbulent air within the boundary layer may act unpredictably upon the ordnance, perhaps causing it to bounce against the under surface of the aircraft thereby causing damage.
Typically, ordnance ejector systems function either by mechanical linkages which push the ordnance through the turbulent boundary layer, or axially moving reciprocating shafts which push the ordnance through the turbulent boundary layer. Examples of the linkage type ordnance ejector systems include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,440,365 to Holtrop, issued Apr. 3, 1984, 4,679,751 to Peterson, issued July 14, 1987 and 4,600,171 to Kalisz, issued July 15, 1986. An example of the axially moving reciprocating shaft type ordnance ejector system is the U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,053 to Sosnowski et al, issued Feb. 25, 1986.
Typically, the linkage type ordnance ejector systems include a forward and rearward linkage connected to a rail member, wherein the rail member releasably retains the ordnance thereto. The forward and rearward linkages are controlled by one or more actuators. Ordnance is loaded onto the ejector apparatus by a ground crew technician.
Because the linkages and actuator typically maintain the rail in a retracted, well nested condition under the aircraft, the ground crew technician must force the rail downwardly, away from the aircraft in order properly attach the ordnance to the rail with all of the attendant electrical connections. This prying away of the rail is usually accomplished by a so-called hoist assembly which is connected and disconnected by the ground crew technician. As the ground crew technician would attempt to load an ordnance to the rail, he or she would attach the hoist assembly to the ejector apparatus and manually force apart the rail, usually against the biasing of return springs located in the actuator. When the ordnance loading was complete, the technician would consciously remove the hoist assembly. If the hoist assembly was inadvertently left attached to the ejector apparatus, then significant damage could be done to the ejector apparatus and possibly the aircraft.